Daily Devotional

-June 18, 2021-

Good morning, happy Friday,

-The Power And Joy In The Church-

“So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”

(Acts 2:46-47).

Luke, the beloved physician, wrote both the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. He was a good friend of Paul and spent a lot of time with him. He addressed both of these books to Theophilus, an unknown but likely prominent man in the church.

The birth of the church took place when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles in great power. Peter preached the first sermon, filled with the Holy Spirit. Three thousand souls were saved that day. These folks received the Word gladly and were baptized. They began to meet together for teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer.

The early believers had all things common, meaning they shared with each other as any had need. Our text tells us that they continued in the temple daily, sharing their meals together from house to house with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. They had a powerful testimony of how the Lord changed their lives. The Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were being saved. After two days the number of those saved grew to 5,000.

It did not take long before the believers were persecuted. Peter and John were arrested, beaten, and threatened. But the more the church was persecuted, the more the church thrived and grew. The devil was not happy with those being saved and growing in their faith. The same is true in many countries in the world today. Where persecution is the most severe, the more souls are saved and the church is the strongest.

There is something so encouraging about Christian fellowship. I have seen it and experienced for many years. When we meet together, we encourage one another in love. I have found that I am closer with my brothers and sisters in Christ than my own natural family. It is a double blessing when a member of our natural family is also a believer in Christ. It has been so hard not seeing our church family during the pandemic.

Jesus is the Head of the church and the Savior of the body. He told His disciples, and Peter in particular, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). The church is built on Christ the Rock and the apostles and prophets.

Let us rejoice with our brothers and sisters in Christ, worship with them, and serve with them in joy and the power of the Holy Spirit. We want to see more souls saved and believers taught and equipped for service for our Lord. We must all do our part.

Have a blessed day and weekend standing together and serving together in the church. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean